School Year 2008-2009
The purpose of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association is to promote and encourage
the philosophy of Carl Orff & Gunild Keetman's Schulwerk ( Music for Children ).
Music is a living force, vital to the activities of every child;
the opportunity to create speech, movement and music in an ordered framework
through which trained teachers should be made available to ALL Children.
The following members of the 2008-2009 Greater Cincinnati AOSA Chapter Board
stand behind this philosophy and work to bring it to reality.
Click Here for Short List of Officers
John Crandall , President
John is in his twelfth year of teaching. He currently teaches grades K-5 general music and chorus at Amelia Elementary in the West Clermont Local School District. John has completed Levels I, II, and III Orff Certification from UNLV and Master Class with Jos Wuytack at the University of Memphis. John received his B.A. in Music Education from Central College (Pella, IA) and M.M. in Choral Conducting Performance from Bowling Green State University. John sings in the choir at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church and works as a substitute organist during the summer months. He previously served as Membership Chair of the Greater Cincinnati Orff chapter.
Michael Merry , President-Elect
Michael graduated with music education degrees from both The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he also completed his Orff Level I. He has taught band and general music in public schools for over thirty-four years in both London and Cincinnati, Ohio. Michael has taught in the Oak Hills Local Schools for more than twenty-five years. He also sings in the May Festival Chorus and is Director of Music at Westwood First Presbyterian Church. In addition to AOSA and MENC he is also a member of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and has enjoyed attending their conferences in Helsinki, Finland; Seoul, Korea; Pretoria, South Africa; Edmonton, Alberta; and Bergen, Norway.
Dawn Bruestle , Immediate Past President
Dawn received her Bachelor of Music degree from Miami University, a Masters of Education degree from Xavier, and has completed Levels I & II of Orff Certification at CCM. She is currently a music specialist at North Elementary in the Fairfield City Schools, and has taught public school music for a total of 23 years. In addition, she served as the Choral & Elementary Music manager at Mannerino's Sheet Music for 3 years. Dawn also sings professionally, and is currently a member of the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Cincinnati, which has traveled to England to serve as "choir-in-residence" in several cathedrals. She and her husband, Doug, (who also is a music teacher and our chapter's Video Librarian) have 3 happy, musical children and enjoy traveling, snow skiing, and attending music & theatre performances together.
Judy Schneider , Secretary
Judy currently teaches Grades 1-5 at Harold Schnell Elementary School in West Carrollton, Ohio. A graduate of the Univ. of Dayton, she has been a Cincinnati chapter member for 22 years and Secretary since 1994. She served as Registration Co-Chair for the Cincinnati Conference in 2001. Judy especially enjoys AOSA National Conventions, and has had the opportunity to participate twice in international workshops of the IGMF in Germany and Austria. She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities ( to study the life and times of Mozart on-site in Vienna ) and from the Miami Valley Catholic Education Council ( to develop a movement education program for her students, which she team-taught with her building PE specialist). Judy is also a past recipient of a "Top 10" Catholic School Educator award for the Dayton area. She and her husband, Carl, are proud parents of 3 grown sons - two graphic designers and one bass guitar player.
Dianne Kronour , Treasurer
Dianne has been active in music education for over 23 years. A graduate of Meredith College in Raleigh, she taught in North Carolina before moving to Cincinnati to pursue graduate studies at CCM. She has two Masters from CCM, in voice performance and music education. She taught for nine years at the College of Mount St Joseph, served as Music Director at her local church, and has spent the last thirteen years as an elementary music educator in the Lebanon City Schools. Beginning in September, 2008, she will be Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. She completed Level I at CCM and Level II at the University of Memphis. She credits her success and fulfillment in music education to the incredible workshops sponsored yearly by the Cincinnati Orff Chapter. She and her husband Randy have enjoyed raising their four children and especially enjoy interacting with them as young adults now. In her spare time she loves to travel, garden and play tennis.
Corrie Graham , Membership Chair
Corrie Graham is in her eighth year of teaching and enjoys meeting people as memberhip chair for Greater Cincinnati AOSA. She is currently teaching grades K-5 at Merwin Elementary in the West Clermont School District. Corrie hold a Bachelors degree from Miami University and she is celebrating her recent completion of a Masters in Music Education also from Miami University. She has received her Orff Level 1 certificate from CCM. She has been in involved in musical theater with Cincinnati Musical Theatre at the Aronoff Performing Arts Center & Loveland Stage Company. She also enjoys teaching swing and ballroom dance for local swing bands.
* * Tim Kloth , Program Co-Chair
Shelly Pembleton , Program Co-Chair
Shelly has her Bachelor of Music Ed. from Marshall University and her Masters of Music Ed. from WSU in 2002. She has Orff Levels I, II and III and Masters. She previously taught at Dunlavy Elementary and Berry Middle in Lebanon Schools. Currently, she is teaching in the Blanchester Local Schools.
Sarah McCoy , Newsletter Editor
Sarah holds a BA in music from Centre College, and a Master of Ed. from Xavier University. She has completed Level I, Level II and Level III Orff Certification at UNLV. Following six years of teaching in a public school system, Sarah is taking time off to raise her son Daniel and daughter Anna. She is currently teaching part-time at Holy Family School in Covington and working as a part-time pianist/vocalist at two churches.
Lissa Ray , Hospitality Chair
Lissa is in her 30th year of teaching. She currently teaches grades K-4 at Montgomery Elementary in the Sycamore School District. Lissa holds a Bachelors Degree from Western Michigan Univ. and a Masters Degree from Indiana Univ. She earned Level I & II Orff Certification from UC and Level III & Level I (again) at the Univ. of Northern Colorado. Lissa is a certified Education Through Movement instructor (Phyllis Weikart's program ). She has completed several post-Levels Orff courses at the University of St. Thomas and a summer course at the Orff Institut in Salzburg. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Cincinnati Children's Choir and recently traveled to Ireland, Wales, and England to play flute for their tour. She teaches Musicianship Through Movement for the CCC Festival every summer. Lissa incorporates Orff-Schulwerk in a church setting at Northminster Presbyterian Church where she is Director of Music for Children and Youth. In February she will present a workshop for the Central Ohio AOSA Chapter. She has been an active member of the Greater Cincinnati AOSA Chapter since 1987
Kay Edwards , College Credit Co-ordinator
Kay is Associate Professor of Music Education at Miami University where she teaches courses in general music and supervises student teachers; she also directs the summer Orff-Schulwerk training courses and serves as the recorder instructor. She has a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in General Music from Arizona State Univ. She has taught at Oberlin Conservatory, UNC-Greensboro, and in public schools over the past 25 years. Kay did all 3 of her Orff Levels in Arizona. She is a former board member of the Arizona Chapter of AOSA and was a Member-at-Large for the GCC during 2002-03. She specializes in early childhood/elementary general music and has training in Kodaly and Dalcroze. She has presented at MENC, AOSA, OAKE, ISME, MTNA, and many state conferences. She is a contributing author of the Silver Burdett Ginn K-8 series "The Music Connection" and "Making Music" and a co-author of a textbook from Prentice-Hall entitled "Prelude to Music Education". She also writes lesson plans for WGUC's "Classics for Kids" website (www.classicsforkids.com/teachers) and serves on the editorial boards for the journals "Contributions to Music Education" and TRIAD.
Lisa Berry , Scholarship Chair
Lisa, has been a member of our Orff Chapter for the past 12 years. Lisa graduated from Miami Univ. in 1988 with a Bachelors in Music Ed. She received her Masters from Wright State Univ. in 1992, also in Music Ed. She is in her 19th yr. of teaching and currently teaches gr. K-5 at Monticello Elem. in Huber Heights. She completed her Level I Orff Certification at the University of St. Thomas.
Helen Tormey , Endowment Chair
Helen Tormey taught for 24 years in public schools in the Philadelphia area before relocating to Troy, Ohio in 2002 to marry her long lost college sweetheart (sigh). Prior to moving here she had been active in the PAOSA chapter as a member-at-large, VP, and President. She had also held several church positions as well as an adjunct instructor for La Salle University. Helen received her Orff Level I at Mansfield University where she had earned her BS and completed Levels II & III at George Mason University. Helen held a Masters Equivalency from Pennsylvania, and completed a "real" masters from the University of Dayton. After several years of subbing, Helen was offered a position in 2005 in the Mt. Healthy City School District where she continues to teach grades 1-6 at Duvall & Frost Elementary Schools. She is now residing in West Chester and also volunteers her talents at the Faith Community United Methodist Church.
Doug Bruestle , Video Librarian
Doug holds Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music degrees from the UC College-Conservatory of Music, and has completed Level I of Orff Certification, also at CCM. He is currently a music specialist at West Elementary in the Fairfield City Schools, and has taught public school music for a total of 28 years. In addition, Doug has taught orchestra and band at all levels in Fairfield. Doug also plays 'cello and tuba in various ensembles. In his spare time, Doug enjoys keeping up with his three children, listening to Dawn sing, and keeping an eye of Lucky the Wonderdog.
Dale Poling , Videographer , Web Page Editor & Email List Co-ordinator
Dale has served on the National AOSA Board of Trustees as the Region VI Representative, chapter president, member-at-large, newsletter editor, historian and advisor. Dale retired ten years ago after teaching 30 years as the music specialist grades 1-6 at Maddux, Ayer and Mercer Elems. in the Forest Hills School District. He was a part of the Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Zoo's first "Music! Words! Opera!" project, served as a past member of the Cincinnati Ballet Education Committee. He served as General Music Chair for the 1999 OMEA conference. Dale was the 2001 Cincinnati AOSA National Conference College Credit chair. He has been a presenter and teacher for the former AAAe ( Association for the Advancement of Arts Education which is now a part of the CET Arts Education Programs ). For the last 10 years, he has been subbing K-12 in the West Clermont, New Richmond, Forest Hills, and Batavia school districts. He has taught Elementary Music Methods for Music Majors and Music for Classroom Teachers at Northern Kentucky University. He is currently the chapter videographer, email list coordinator & the chapter's webmaster.
Melanie Sherby , Facilities Liaison
Melanie graduated from Wright State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master's Degree from Rio Grande University in 2008. She completed Levels I and II Orff Certification at the Univ. of Cincinnati in 1989 and 1990. She is in her 21st year of teaching. She teaches general music to grades K-4 at South Lebanon Elementary and J.F. Burns Elementary in the Kings Local School District. Melanie has been a Greater Cincinnati Chapter member since 1989.
Lorrie Hager , Boutique Liaison
Lorrie teaches K-3 general music at Broadway Elementary and 6th grade general music at Tippecanoe Middle School for the Tipp City Schools. She has been at this position for 23 years. She has also co-directed 15 musical productions for Tippecanoe High School. Lorrie has a Bachelors of Music from Bluffton University and a Masters of School Counseling from The University of Dayton. Her Orff level training courses I and II were taken at Bowling Green State University. Lorrie taught two years in Plevna, Montana and one year in the Ayersville school district in Defiance, Ohio before moving to Tipp City. She currently sings with a contemporary Christian group called "Micah".
Leslie Hicks , Member-at-Large
Leslie has been teaching music for 23 years; most of that time has been spent in the Middletown City Schools. She currently teaches at Central Academy, Middletown's non-graded multi-age K-7 school. She also continues to teach Middletown's Gifted and Talented Enrichment Program (GATE) for gifted student musicians in grades 4-6. She holds Bachelors and Masters desgrees in Music Education from Miami University, has completed all three levels of certification in Orff-Schulwerk from CCM, and is a licensed Gifted/Intervention Specialist. Leslie has also coordinated the OMEA District 13 Elementary Honor Chorus for the past eight years. She and her husband, Gary, are life-long Cincinnati Reds fans. Gary plays (and continues to collect) all voices of saxophones to wail on all over town. Their 13 year old son, Kyle, plays sax like his dad in band but is much more passionate about the electric guitar.
Lois Baratko , Member-at-Large
Lois graduated from University of Cincinnat in 1974 with a Bachelor in Music Ed. degree. She has taught music in Springboro Community Schools since then and began her 30th year in Fall 2003. She completed Levels I and II Orff Certification at Memphis State University. She teaches at Clearcreek Elementary which is a 2nd and 3rd grade building. Her husband Tom, is Principal at Carlisle High School. They have two sons. Lois served as treasurer for our chapter in previous years.
MaryEllen Haynes , Member-at-Large
MaryEllen is a retired music teacher from Lebanon City Schools where she also served as coordinator of music for grades K-6. A graduate of the University of Texas, she received her masters degree at Wright State University. She completed three levels of Orff training at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Master Classes at U. of Memphis with Jos Wuytack and the U. of St. Thomas with Steve Calintropio. She apprenticed with Sue Mueller at UNLV to teach Level One Pedagogy and is a pedagogy instructor for Miami University. She is also an adjunct faculty member supervising music student teachers for Wright State. MaryEllen has conducted Orff workshops in Ohio and nationally. She was a presenter for the AOSA National Conference in Las Vegas. MaryEllen served many years as our chapter treasurer
Ligaya deLeon-Baumann, Member-at-Large
Ligaya is in her fourth year of teaching. She has taught general music K-5 for the Princeton City School District and is now teaching music at Princeton High School. She completed Orff Level I under Mary Ellen Haynes, Kay Edwards, and Lissa Ray. She received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University in 2005 and is currently pursuing her Masters of Music Education Degree at Miami University in Oxford.
Ben Schneider, Member-at-Large
Benjamin received his Bachelors Degree in Music from Miami University Oxford and completed Level I Orff Certification from Miami as well. He has been teaching for 2 years and is NOW a full time elementary music teacher at New Miami Elementary. Not only teaching music at New Miami but Ben also directs a children's choir at the Fairfield Fine Arts Community Center, Assistant Director to the Edgewood Choraliers, and performs in local community theatre shows. Ben is very excited to be a part of the Orff board and is looking forward to an amazing year with such amazing educators!
Stanley Rowland , Honorary Members Representative & "Grandfather to the Chapter"
Stan was a general music teacher for a total of 35 years at Ross Local, Cincinnati Public, and Princeton City. He has been a lecturer in Music Education at Xavier Univ. and wrote the former teachers guides used for the Young People's and the Junior High Concerts of the Cincinnati Symphony. He is currently the Director of Music at the United Church of Christ in Shandon, OH. Stan is a Charter member of both National AOSA and our local Chapter. He served as the Chapter's first president after the chartering in 1970. In addition to all of the above, Stan was elected to the National Board of AOSA to fill an unexpired term. He served as Treasurer of National AOSA for 21 years and was awarded the Honorary Lifetime Member of AOSA in 1995. He is also a lifetime member of the local Cincinnati Orff Chapter. He serves as a trusted advisor to the chapter.
Top of This Page / Newsletter Links
